Enclosure for radiators



May 17, 1938. H. M. sci-UCK ENCLOSURE FOR RADIATORS Filed July 27, 1936/z di INVENTOR. HERBERT M. SCH/CK ATT RNEY.

Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES Parlantl oFFICE ENCLOSURE FORRADIATURS Herbert M. Schick, San Mateo, Calif. Application July 27,1936, Serial No. 92,830

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to enclosures for radiators and itsprincipal object is to provide an enclosure of the type that is easy toassemble, eflicient in operation and attractive in appearance.

More particularly it is proposed to provide an enclosure of this typethat may be used in connection with radiators of different sizes andthat may be readily adjusted to the size of the radiator, withinreasonable limits.

It is further proposed to provide an enclosure of the type described onwhich suitable allowance is made for the radiator connections so thatthe latter may be applied without the necessity of changing or cuttingthe enclosure at the place of installation.

vIt is further proposed to provide an enclosure of the type described inwhich certain improvements are provided in the front piece of theenclosure and in its mounting means which allows of a slight verticaladjustment to compensate for difference thickness of hardwood flooringon which the front piece is made to rest.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification proceeds.

' The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in Which- Figure 1 shows a horizontal section through theenclosure, taken along line I-l of Figure 2,

Figure 2 a front view ofthe enclosure, and

Figure 3, a vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2.

' Figure 4 an enlarged fragmentary View of the arrangement shown in theupper left-hand portion of' Figure 3.

. While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention I wish tohave it understood that various changes and modifications may be madeWithin the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my enclosure I for the radiator 2 ispartly mounted in the wall 3 which consists of a plurality of alinedstuds 4 and plaster coatings 5 and 6 on opposite sides of the studs.

For accommodating the enclosure and the radiator within the same, one ofthe plaster coatings is omitted and the enclosure is made to t betweenthe two studdings 4 as shown in the drawing. The latter studdings areconventionally spaced sixteen inches apart and to accommodate theenclosure, one or more are omitted and are compensated for by ahorizontal bracing 1 above the enclosure.

The enclosure consists preferably of two units, the body section 3 andthe front piece 9. The body section comprises a rear wall I0, side wallsIl and a top l2. The side Walls have outwardly projecting iianges I3which are bent backward and terminate in laterally projecting extensionsI4 which are nailed to the studdings 4 and serve as anchoring means forthe plaster. The latter is applied over conventional laths, not shown inthe drawing, or any other suitable base.

The body section, when thus positioned rests on the foundation l5 forthe hardwood oor I6 and is slightly spaced from the opposite plastercoating 5 as well as from the studding 4 to provide a certain amount ofheat insulation. Its front portion projects forward of the studdingsinto the room to be heated and also slightly over the hardwood flooroverlying the foundation l5. The forward edges of the side walls haveinner guides I'l secured thereto to provide guide chjannels i8.

The top l2 of the body section has a slanting rear portion I9 and ahorizontal front portion terminating in a vertical flange 2l whichlatter carries a horizontal plate 22 provided with a front overhang 23terminating in a horizontal extension 2d. adapted to cooperate with thevertical fiange 2| in exerting clamping pressure on the interposed upperedge of the front piece 9. The horizontal plate 22 terminates`rearwardly in a vertical ilange 25 which is nailed to the horizontalbrace 'I and serves as an anchoring means for the plaster on top of theenclosure. v

At the bottom the rear wall I0 and the side walls Il of the body sectionare connected and braced by two corner gussets 2S which are nailed tothe floor as at 21 and are provided with preformed holes 28 permittingpipe connections 29 for the radiator 2 to pass therethrough.

The front piece 9 comprises a vertical plate with lateral flanges 30adapted to be slidably received in the guide channels I8, the latteroffering suflicient frictional resistance to hold the front piece inplace. The upper end of the front piece is received in the space betweenthe flange 2| and the extension 24 and is clampingly held thereby, theflange 2| being curved inwardly to accentuate the clamping action. Itwill be noted that the overhang 23 is suiciently deep to allow ofvertical adjustment of the front piece which serves the purpose ofcompensating for diierent thicknesses of hardwood ooring.

It will be noted that the flange 2l presents a lower receding section,while the horizontal exure .2.

tension 24 is disposed slightly above the bottom of the ange 2|.

This arrangement facilitates the assembling of the device. When thefront piece 9 is inserted, it occupies an angular position substantiallyparallel to the inclined portion of the iiange 2| which is presentedbelow the bottom of the extension 24. To insert the front piece theoperator merely places the upper edge of the inclined front pieceagainst the lower portion of the flange 2| and then pushes it upwardinto the slot between the flange 2| and the horizontal extension 24. Hethen swings the lower of the front piece toward the body of theenclosure, thereby pushing the lateral anges 30 of the front piece intothe guide channels |8 of the enclosure and this movement at the sametime causes a clamping engagement of the top edge of the front piecebetween the dished flange 2| and the horizontal extension The frontpiece is formed with a recess 3l in the bottom end which coacts with thefloor in forming a bottom opening permitting the air from the room toVenter and it is provided with louvres 32 in the upper section to permitthe heated air to enter the room, the louvres being shaped in the formof deectors to guide the air into the room away from the wall.

, The enclosures are usually made in standard sizes to correspond to thespacing between the studdings and it frequently happens that one size ofenclosure has to be used in connection with different sizes of radiatorsso that there may be considerable difference in the spacing between theends of the radiator and the side walls of the enclosure. If the spacingis too pronounced, a large amount of air will pass directly from thebottom opening to the louvres along the. ends of y the radiators withoutabsorbing heat units from the latter.

To avoid this and to make one size of enclosure serve for differentsizes of radiators I pro- Vide bailles 33 on the inner faces of the sidewalls Il, the baffles being of a width corresponding substantially tothe horizontal depth of the enclosure and being in the form of bendableplates the upper ends of which are secured to the side walls while theremainder is made by the manufacturer to hang straight downward alongthe `side wall, as shown in one position in Fig- During the installationthe lower portion of the plate is bent inward toward the radiator tocontact the latter or to come within adesired proximity of the same sothat direct upward draft outside the radiator is prevented or limited toa desired degree, depending upon the spacing between the lower ends ofthe baille plates and the ends of the radiator. The baffles are made ofmaterial that retains the position into which it is bent.

The manner in which my device is assembled and operates is as follows:The body section 8 is first placed in position between the studs 4 andnailed to the latter and to the topv brace 1. The gussets 21 are nailedto the floor. The radiator is then installed and suitably connected, theconnecting pipes passing through the preformed holes 28 in the gussets.Next the baffles 33 are adjusted depending upon the length of theradiator to prevent or limit air circulation past the ends of theradiator. Then the front piece may be applied by inserting its upper endinto the space between the flanges 20 and the extension 24 and thenpressing the side anges 30 into the guide channels I8. A slightadjustment ln vertical direction will cause the bottom edge of the frontpiece to coincide with the top of the hardwood floor no matter whatthickness of hardwood floor has been applied.

I claim:

1. An enclosure for a radiator having a top with a receding flangeprojecting upward from the front edge thereof, a horizontal memberoverlying the top of the flange and projecting forwardly therefrom andhaving a downward flange and a tongue projecting inwardly from thebottom edge of the second flange toward an intermediate portion ofthereceding flange, a front panel having an upper portion projectingbetween said receding flange and said inwardly projecting tongue, saidtongue terminating at such a point with respect to said receding flangethat said flange and tongue coact to yieldingly clamp said front paneltherebetween when said panel is in vertical position.

2. An enclosure for a radiator having a top with a receding flangeprojecting upward from the front edge thereof, a horizontal memberoverlying the top of the flange and projecting forwardly and rearwardlytherefrom, means for securing the rearward projection to a support,V asecond flange extending downwardly from. the forward projection of thehorizontal member, and a tongue projecting inwardly from the bottom edgeof the second flange toward an intermediate portion of the recedingflange, a front panel having an upper portion projecting between saidreceding flange and said inwardly projecting tongue, said tongueterminating at such a point with respect to said receding flange thatsaid flange and tongue coact to yieldingly clamp said front paneltherebetween when said front panel is in vertical position.

HERBERT M. SCHICK.

